moviedatabasefandomcom-20200215-history
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The (1986)
| directed by = Tobe Hooper | written by = L.M. Kit Carson | produced by = Tobe Hooper; Menahem Golan; Yoram Globus; L.M. Kit Carson; Henry Holmes; James Jorgensen | music by = Tobe Hooper; Jerry Lambert | cinematography = Richard Kooris | edited by = Alain Jakubowicz | distributed by = The Cannon Group, Inc. Golan-Globus Productions | release date(s) = August 22nd, 1986 | mpaa rating = | running time = 89 min. (Theatrical cut) 100 min. (Director's cut) 111 min. (Collector's edition) | country = | language = English | budget = $4,700,000 | gross revenue = $8,025,872 | preceded by = The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) | followed by = Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) }} The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is an American horror film of the "Grindhouse" slasher subgenre and also includes elements of dark comedy. It is second installment in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The movie was directed by franchise creator Tobe Hooper with a script written by L.M. Kit Carson. It was produced by Cannon Films and distributed through MGM. The film premiered in the United States on August 22nd, 1986. Plot Two rowdy high school douche bags named Buzz and Rick speed down an abandoned stretch of Texas highway, en route to a weekend of fun in Dallas. They are heavily intoxicated and use their car phone to call and harass on-air radio DJ Vanita "Stretch" Brock. Unable to convince them to hang up, Stretch is forced to keep the line open. Buzz and Rick encounter a large pickup truck which runs parallel to them on a remote bridge. Suddenly, Leatherface, wielding a chainsaw, emerges from the back of the truck and proceeds to attack Buzz and Rick. After a short struggle, Rick tries to shoot Leatherface with a .44 Magnum revolver, but misses his target. Leatherface then slices off part of Buzz's head, and the car ends up crashing and killing Rick. The following morning, Lieutenant Boude "Lefty" Enright, former Texas Ranger, and uncle of Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother Franklin, who were victims of Leatherface and his family years earlier, arrives at the scene of the crime to help solve Buzz and Rick's murders. Lefty has spent the last thirteen years looking into his niece and nephew's disappearances while also investigating reports of mysterious chainsaw killings across Texas. Although regarded with disdain by his peers, Lefty is able to convince the local newspaper to print a tiny article about his quest for justice. The article captures the interest of Stretch, who brings him a copy of the audio tape which recorded the attack on the two teenagers. Initially mortified, Lefty asks Stretch to play the tape on her nightly radio show so the law enforcers and the people will have to listen to him. As the sounds of the horrible attack echo across the airwaves of Texas, Leatherface's family arrive at the radio station. While preparing to leave for the night, Stretch finds "Chop-Top", waiting in the lobby. When she tries to get rid of him, Leatherface emerges from the darkness. Horrified, Stretch locks herself behind the metal door of a storage closet, holding off Leatherface until he comes through the wall. Meanwhile, Stretch's co-worker L.G. McPeters arrives, but is beaten badly with a tack hammer by Chop-Top. As Leatherface approaches Stretch, about to attack, she does some fast talking and charms him into sparing her. After a moment of distraction, Leatherface restarts his chainsaw and tears off through the studio slashing at walls, furniture and studio equipment, but leaves Stretch alive. He returns to the reception area where he leads Chop-Top to believe that he has killed Stretch. Leatherface and Chop-Top haul the mortally wounded L.G. off to their home, followed by Stretch, who winds up trapped inside the Sawyer home, which is actually an abandoned carnival ground decorated with human bones, multi-colored lights, and carnival remnants. Lefty soon turns up with three chainsaws of his own and begins to carve up the home in a rage shortly before he finds the remains of his aforementioned nephew, Franklin. Stretch finds L.G. dead and takes a look around the hideout. Drayton Sawyer finds Stretch roaming the grounds and the family capture her. Lefty eventually finds her being tortured at the dinner table and saves her. Drayton tries to bribe Lefty with money, but Lefty slashes Drayton's back side with the chainsaw, and frees Stretch. A battle between Lefty and the Sawyer family ensues, ending with a chainsaw duel between Leatherface and Lefty. As a wounded Drayton commentates from under the table, Lefty gains the upper hand and impales Leatherface in the stomach. In the end, Lefty and most of the Sawyer family are apparently killed when a grenade, which Drayton recovers off of brother Nubbins' preserved corpse, goes off prematurely. Only Chop-Top and Stretch escape, where they have a final battle in a carved-out rock tower that overlooks the property. Despite being slashed several times with a straight razor, Stretch grabs a chainsaw held by the mummified remains of the family's great-grandmother in a ritual shrine in the rock tower. Stretch then gets the upper hand on Chop-Top, as she cuts him with the chainsaw, causing him to fall off the tower to a presumed death. The entire experience proves too much for Stretch and she emerges from the entrance of the cavern howling in a frenzy while swinging the chainsaw in imitation of the patented Leatherface dance. Cast Notes & Trivia * The tagline to this film is, "After a decade of silence... The buzzz is back!". * Numerous scenes from this movie were filmed in Austin, Texas. The Cut-Rite Chain Saws outlet is located at the Mean Eyed Cat Bar at 1621 West 5th Street. The scene where the yuppies crash their car is on Airport Boulevard in Montopolis in downtown Austin. The KOKLA radio station where Vanita Brock works is located on 6th street. IMDB; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986); Filming locations. * The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was first released to DVD (region 1) on August 1st, 2000 by MGM. The "Gruesome Edition" of the movie was issued on October 10th, 2006 and featured audio commentary by director Tobe Hooper as well as commentary by actors Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams and special effects makeup creator Tom Savini. * Actor Jim Siedow is the only cast member from the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to return for the sequel. * To prepare for his drunken scene with Caroline Williams, actor Dennis Hopper would spin around multiple times in a circle to get himself sufficiently wide-eyed and dizzy. L.M. Kit Carson; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: The Gruesome Edition; "It Runs in the Family"; 2006 * Although his character wears a wig throughout most of the movie, actor Bill Moseley had to shave his head for the metal plate appliances. Moseley still owns the costume he wore in the film as well as his character's lighter and one of the metal coat hangers that Chop-Top used to scratch his head. Bill Moseley; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: The Gruesome Edition; "It Runs in the Family"; 2006 * Director Tobe Hooper makes a cameo appearance as a man at Lefty Enright's hotel. He can be seen throwing a beer can at a group of revelers as Caroline Williams approaches the door. * This is Tobe Hooper's eighth feature film as a director, not counting uncompleted projects or films that he left production on. Including television movies, it is his eighth film in the horror genre. Tobe Hooper also directed the first The Texas Chainsaw Massacre back in 1974. * This is L.M. Kit Carson's fifth film project as a screenwriter. It is his first work in the horror genre. * This is Caroline Williams' fifth film role. It is her first work in the horror genre. It won't be her last. * Actor Lou Perryman is credited as Lou Perry in this film. * Actor John Bloom is best known by his horror host film reviewer name, Joe Bob Briggs. * This is the first, and to date, only known acting work for Judy Kelly. * There are only three female characters in this film: Vanita Brock, the Gourmet yuppette, and Great-Grandma Sawyer. * This is Jim Siedow's final film role. He is the only actor to reprise his role from the first film. * This is the first professional acting work for Barry Kinyon. * This is the first feature film acting work for Chris Douridas. It is also his first work in the horror genre. In the film, he is credited as "Gunner", but is also identified by the nickname "Rick the Prick". * According to the newspaper that Stretch shows Lefty, the events at the beginning of the film take place on October 26th, 1986. Recommendations See also External Links * * * Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 at Wikipedia * * * * * References ---- Category:Films Category:Cannon Films Category:Golan-Globus Productions Category:Sequels Category:2nd installments Category:1980s/Films Category:1986/Films Category:August, 1986/Films Category:Theatrically released films Category:T/Films Category:Tobe Hooper/Director Category:L.M. Kit Carson/Writer Category:L.M. Kit Carson/Associate producer Category:Yoram Globus/Producer Category:Menahem Golan/Producer Category:Henry Holmes/Executive producer Category:Tobe Hooper/Producer Category:James Jorgensen/Executive producer